Dumping-wagon.



E. GRONENWETT 6; P. A. SMITH.

DUMPING WAGON. APPLIOATIOH FILED-AUG. 5, 1910.

Patented May 2, 1911.

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E. GRONBNWBTT & F. A. SMITH.

DUMPING WAGON. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1910.

Patented May 2, 1911.

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'UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER CRONENWETT ANI) FRED A.. SMITH, OF GALION, OHIO.

DUMPING-WAGON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELMER CRoNENwETr and FRED A. SMITH, citizens of the United States, residing at Galion, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping-VVagons, of which the following is a specification.

rThis invention relates to vehicle bodies, and comprises a dumping box or body particularly adapted for use in a wagon, but capable of use in a railroad car or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved box with a sliding bottom, that is having bottom plates or sections which can be shifted to dump the load through the bottom of the body. The slides extend lengthwise along opposite sides of the bottom, and by means of a gear and rack arrangement may be shifted under a V bottom extending lengthwise along the middle of the body, for the purpose of opening the bottom and dumping the load.

The construction and manner of operation will be more fully apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the box. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. t is a plan view of the bottom of t-he box turned upside down. Fig. 5 is a detail of the rack and pinion gearing.

The box may be made in any of the standard sizes, to suit the running gear or trucks on which it is to be supported, and the sides (3 and front and rear ends 7 may be constructed in the usual or desired manner, of any suitable materials, no special construction thereof being essential to the use of the present invention.

The bottom consists of three sections, a middle inverted V section S, and two sliding side sections 9. The V bottom section 8 is preferably made of pressed steel or the like, or may be made of wood, and extends lengthwise between the ends 7, to which it is fastened and by which it is supported. The slides 9 rest on cross bars 10 which are fastened at their ends to the lower ends of the standards 11 which are fastened to the sides (3, and by means to be hereinafter described the slides may be shifted in or out to open or close the bottom, the spread of the V bottom 8 being sufficient to receive the slides Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1910.

Patented May 2, 1911.

serial No. 575,725.

thereunder when they are shifted in to dump` ing position. The slides work closely under the lower side edges of the V bottom,to form a close joint, and when the slides are shifted outwardly they stop against the sides 6.

A shaft 12 extends lengthwise under the shed formed by the V bottom section, and this shaft is supported in bearings in gear boxes 13 which are bolted to the front and rear ends 7 of the box. The shaft may conveniently consist of a pipe. It is turned by means of a lever 14, with a spring pawl 15 engageable with a ratchet wheel 16 which is fast on the shaft, the lever being mounted to turn on a hub 17 projecting from the gear box and extending around the shaft. The lever is preferably mounted at the front end of the box, and extends through a slot in the foot board 18, to convenient position for operation by a man on the seat 19, and by working the lever back and forth the shaft may be turned in either direction.

`At each end the shaft has thereon a pinion 2O which is located within the gear box and which meshes with a rack 21 bolted to one of the slides 9. Said pinion also meshes with a pinion 22, mounted in the gear box, and this pinion 22 meshes with a rack 23 which is bolted to the other slide 9. The gear 22 is set enough higher than the rack 21 so that it will not mesh with it, the rack 23 being set correspondinglyl high. As stated, duplicate racks and pinions are located at both ends of the box, and the gear boxes 13 form guides for the racks, which work through openings in the sides of the gear boxes, and the racks are offset or located out of line with each other so that they will pass or slide 'by each other when operated.

By turning the shaft in one direction the rack and pinion arrangement will slide the bottom sections 9 in one direction, and vice versa, and thereby open or close the bottom openings. When opened, the slides retract under the bottom S, and when advanced they form a complete closed bottom for the body. The V section 8 produces a self dumping hopper bottom, and it will be noticed that there are no catches or fastenings to be loosened by hand before the box can be dumped. The movable bottom sections are at all times under control of the driver, and the slides can bc opened to any extent de sired, while the vehicle is ruiming. Accordingly the box may be used as a distributer,

to spread the load if desired, as by opening `Having thus described our invention what we claim .as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dumping box for vehicles, the combination of sliding bottom sections movable transversely across the bottom of the box to open or close the same, racks attached to opposite ends of each section, a shaftextending lengthwise of the box and havingpinions thereon meshing with said racks on'one of said sections, and reverse gearing between said shaft and the racks on the other section, whereby the sections are moved oppositely when the shaft is turned, and means to turn the shaft.

2. In a dumping box for vehicles, the combination of a double inclined middle bottom section extendino between the ends of the box and spaced rom the sides thereof, sliding bottom sections movable across said spaces to open or close the same, racks attached to the said sliding sections at opposite ends thereof, a shaft extending through the ends of the box and lengthwise under said middle bottom section, pinions on the shaft and in mesh with said racks on one section, and reversing pinions between said pinions and the racks on the other section, and means to turn the shaft.

In testimony whereof, we aHix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER CRONENWVETT. FRED A. SMITH.

lVitnesses C. HELM-IER, H. A. BURwnLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

